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William Russell Grace

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William Russell Grace
Grace, while Mayor of New York City
Grace, while Mayor of New York City
87th & 85th Mayor of New York City
In office
1885–1886
Preceded by Franklin Edson
Succeeded by Abram Hewitt
In office
1881–1882
Preceded by Edward Cooper
Succeeded by Franklin Edson
Personal details
Born May 10, 1832
Ballylinan, County Laois,
Ireland
Died March 21, 1904 (aged 71)
New York City, New York,
U.S.
Resting place Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn
Spouse Lillius Gilchrist
(after 1859)
Relations Michael P. Grace (brother)
Children 11, including Joseph Peter
Parent(s) James Grace & Ellen Russell
Occupation Businessman, politician, philanthropist
Known for Founding co-benefactor of the Grace Institute

William Russell Grace (May 10, 1832 – March 21, 1904) was an American politician, the first Roman Catholic mayor of New York City, and the founder of W. R. Grace and Company.[1]

Early life

Grace was born in Ireland in Riverstown near the Cove of Cork to James Grace and Eleanor May Russell (née Ellen) while the family was away from home, and raised on Grace property at Ballylinan in Queen County (now County Laois). He was a member of a prominent and well-to-do family who lived for a period at Brooklawn House on Love Lane (now Donore Avenue) in Dublin.[2] In 1846, Grace sailed for New York against the wishes of his father, and worked as a printer's devil and a shoemaker's helper before returning to Ireland in 1848.[3] For a period he attended Belvedere College before again leaving school.

His nephew, Cecil Grace, attempted a crossing of the English Channel in December 1910 in an airplane, flying from Dover to Calais. However, in coming back he became disoriented and over Dover flew northeast over the Goodwin Sands toward the North Sea and was lost.[4]

Career

William and his father, James Grace, traveled to Callao, Peru, in 1851, seeking to establish an Irish agricultural community. James returned home but William remained, where he began work with the firm of John Bryce and Co., as a ship chandler.[5]

In 1854, the company was renamed Bryce, Grace & Company, in 1865, to Grace Brothers & Co., and then W. R. Grace and Company.[6]

Reform politics

Opposing the famous Tammany Hall, Grace was elected as the first Irish American Catholic mayor of New York City in 1880.[7] He conducted a reform administration attacking police scandals, patronage and organized vice; reduced the tax rate, and broke up the Louisiana Lottery. Defeated in the following election, he was re-elected in 1884 on an Independent ticket but lost again the following time.[8] During his second term, Grace received the Statue of Liberty as a gift from France.

Philanthropy

Grace was a renowned philanthropist and humanitarian, at one point contributing a quarter of the aid delivered to Ireland aboard the steamship Constellation during the Irish Famine of 1879.[9] In 1897, he and his brother, Michael, founded the Grace Institute for the education of women, especially immigrants.

Personal life

On September 11, 1859, William was married to Lillius Gilchrist (1839–1922), the daughter of George W. Gilchrist, a prominent ship builder of Thomaston, Maine, and Mary Jane (née Smalley) Gilchrest. Together, William and Lillius had eleven children, including:[10]

  • Alice Gertrude Grace (born in South America, June 11, 1860), who married the New York architect Albert D'Oench in 1901.[11]
  • Florence F. Grace (born in South America, September 20, 1861; died September 27, 1861).
  • Lilius Clemintina Grace (born in South America, October 24, 1864; died in Ireland, June 26, 1866).
  • Agnes Isadora Grace (born in Brooklyn, N.Y., April 4, 1867; died in New York City, March 8, 1884).
  • Mary Augusta Grace (born in Brooklyn, September 2, 1868; died there February 16, 1870).
  • Lilius Annie Grace (born in Brooklyn, September 1, 1870; died there August 30, 1871).
  • Joseph Peter Grace (born at Great Neck, N.Y., June 29, 1872; died there July 15, 1950).
  • Lilias Juanita Grace (born in New York City, March 30, 1874), who married George Edward Kent on July 12, 1898.
  • Louise Natalie Grace (born in New York City, December 23, 1875; died in North Hills, Long Island, New York in 1954).[12]
  • William Russell Grace, Jr. (born April 11, 1878; died in Aiken, South Carolina, March 31, 1943).
  • Caroline S. Grace (born April 22, 1879; died April 21, 1882).

Grace died on March 21, 1904, at his residence, 31 East 79th Street, in New York City.[13] His funeral was held at the Church of St. Francis Xavier on West 16th Street and he was buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn.[13] Grace Avenue in the Bronx, NY is named in his honor.[14] His estate was valued at $25,000,000.[15]

See also

  • W. R. Grace and Company

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

William Russell Grace — Philanthropist and merchant, born at Cork, Ireland, 10 May, 1832; died at New York, 21 March, 1904. His father was originally from Queen's County, where the Graces lived from the days of their ancestor, Raymond Le Gros, who went to Ireland with Strongbow; his mother, a Russell from Tipperary, was a convert to the Catholic Faith. James Grace, his father, went from Ireland to Peru in 1850, but not being successful there, returned to Ireland, while his son, William Russell, remained behind and in time became a partner with the firm of John Bryce at Callao. This firm became Grace Brothers & Co., and W. R. Grace & Co., with offices in New York, San Francisco, and every city of importance on the west coast of South America. Grace also established, at New York, The New York and Pacific Steamship Co., and other financial enterprises. In 1859 he married Lillias Gilchrist of Thomaston, Maine.

He left Peru in the year 1864 and for a time lived in Brooklyn, then in 1878 moved to New york. At the time of the famine in Ireland in 1878 and 1879 his firm contributed to the relief fund one-fourth the cargo of provisions sent in the steamship Constellation for the famine stricken. This fact and others made him so popular that he was nominated for Mayor of New york, and, in spite of much opposition from bigoted sources, elected in 1880. He was the first Catholic to hold that office. He was re-elected in 1884 and served a second term. An attempt to induce him to accept a nomination for a third term was made, but he declined to run.

A fact that best shows the Christian character of the man is that during his two terms as mayor he went to Mass every morning in the neighbouring church of St. Agnes before going to official work. His chief benevolent work was the foundation of the Grace Institute in May, 1897, which he dedicated to the memory of his parents. The object of this institution was to give free tuition to women in dressmaking, stenography, typewriting, book-keeping, and domestic science. The poor are also generally helped by this institution. He was promped to found and endow it after a study of the economic conditions of workmen's families during a strike among the employees of one of his enterprises. The institution is non-sectarian, and is under the charge of the Sisters of Charity.

References

  1. Back to citation "WILLIAM R. GRACE'S CAREER. Ran Away to Sea as a Boy and Became a Great Merchant" (PDF). The New York Times. March 22, 1904. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  2. Back to citation James, Marquis (September 1, 1993). Merchant Adventurer: The Story of W. R. Grace. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 9780585118857. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  3. Back to citation Lawrence A. Clayton, "Grace: W.R. Grace and Co., The Formative Years" (1985), 1–9.
  4. Back to citation New York Tribune December 24, 1910
  5. Back to citation Marquis James, Merchant Adventurer: The Story of W. R. Grace, Wilmington, Delaware: Scholarly Resources (1993) ISBN 0-8420-2444-1
  6. Back to citation William's Great Great Grandson now works at Nasdaq Grace: W.R. Grace & Co., the Formative Years, 1850–1930- Retrieved April 30, 2012
  7. Back to citation "Irish Identity, Influence and Opportunity", Library of Congress
  8. Back to citation Irish Midlands Ancestry,; from Laois Association Yearbook (1981)
  9. Back to citation Hery A. Brann, Catholic Encyclopedia v. VI (1909)
  10. Back to citation Children Archived March 25, 2014, at the Wayback Machine- Retrieved April 26, 2012
  11. Back to citation The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography: Being the History of the United States as Illustrated in the Lives of the Founders, Builders, and Defenders of the Republic, and of the Men and Women who are Doing the Work and Moulding the Thought of the Present Time. University Microfilms. 1967.
  12. Back to citation "Louise Natalie Grace - Biography". www.askart.com. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  13. Back to citation occurrence 13.0 Back to citation occurrence 13.1 "DIED. GRACE" (PDF). The New York Times. March 23, 1904. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  14. Back to citation McNamara, John (1991). History in Asphalt. Harrison, NY: Harbor Hill Books. p. 115. ISBN 0-941980-15-4.
  15. Back to citation "WILL OF WILLIAM R. GRACE | All But $100,000 of $25,000,000 Estate Left to the Family" (PDF). The New York Times. March 26, 1904. Retrieved June 27, 2018.

Further reading

  • Holli, Melvin G., and Peter D'A. Jones, eds. Biographical Dictionary of American Mayors 1820-1980, (1981) pp.136–137.
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